Students take iGEN to Mercy Place Shepparton

After weekly Google Meets with residents of Mercy Place Shepparton throughout Term 1, Mrs Tasca’s Year 10 iGEN class were finally able to meet face-to-face when they travelled to Mercy Place Shepparton in the final week of term.

iGEN is an opt-in subject as part of the Year 10 Virtues program. Two of the classes make weekly visits to Mercy Health Bethlehem Home for the Aged in Bendigo and Mrs Tasca’s class have taken the program to Shepparton through their weekly Google Meets with the residents at Mercy Place.

The trip to Shepparton was full of excitement, and also nerves, with the anticipation of seeing their new friends in person. However, the nerves were soon gone, and joy took over! On arrival at Mercy Place, the students donned the appropriate personal protective equipment and were given a tour of Mercy Place. It was wonderful to get to know some of the staff and see the home where the residents live.

The residents were waiting for the students in the communal lounge, and it was delightful to see their faces light up when they saw the students. They spent a wonderful two hours chatting to the residents, sharing stories, playing board games, trading Easter gifts and having a lovely time. The two hours went much too fast, with students and residents alike wishing they had more time to share together. The bus ride home was buzzing with energy as the students shared their experiences and reflected on a wonderful day.

The class will continue their weekly Google Meets, now with some shared stories to reflect on, and look forward to their next visit to Mercy Place Shepparton in Term 2.